Barriers and Facilitators for Patient-Centered Care for Hospitalized COVID Patients: Lived Experiences from Ex-hospitalized Patients and Health Care Professionals

The COVID pandemic has challenged patient-centeredness, an increasingly valued approach in the pursuit of high-quality care. This research aimed to explore barriers and facilitators for patient-centered care (PCC) in the context of the COVID pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven ex-hospitalized COVID patients and ten health care professionals (HCPs) who have cared for this patient group. A phenomenological design was used with a photo-elicitation method to capture participants' lived experiences. Findings indicate that COVID entailed multiple and interrelated barriers across all dimensions of PCC. COVID care practices like intubation and isolation also negatively impacted patients' physical comfort, ability to communicate, and emotional well-being. Despite HCPs' motivation to improve patients' well-being, they were hampered by serious barriers, including a lack of time and challenges in care coordination. Due to these difficulties, the question can be raised whether PCC during a communicable disease pandemic is feasible. Nevertheless, as shown in this study, key facilitators such as digital communication tools and a holistic and personal care approach demonstrate that rendering PCC remains vital and should be aimed for and that this could be informed by the lived experiences of HCPs and patients.